Dry-pipe valve.



C. B. BARRETT.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATION mu) JUNE 12, 1915.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

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CHARLES E. GARRETT, OF CINCINNlATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GLOBEAUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DRY-PIPE VALVE.

mamas.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed .Tl'une 12, 1916. Serial No. 103,087.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Cnaanus B. GARRETT, a citizen of the United States,and residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented a ncw'and useful Improvement in Dry Pipe Valves,

of which the following specification is a full pressure by a lesserdegree of air pressure within Such dry. pipe sections and the valveautomatically opens on a. decrease of pres sure below a determineddegree primarily due to the opening of one or more of the sprinklerheads connecting or controlling the dry line sections. A differentialvalve is employed which is of smaller size with the weight of theclapper insufiicient to insure a proper sealing of the valve forretaining the priming charge of water required when applying the airpressure in setting. 'lherefore it is necessary to apply additionalpressure on the clapper which I accomplish by providing a latch memberconnecting with the valve or its clapper, and resistingly engaging arigid abutment for superin'iposing a pressure on the valve, the latchmember additionally functioned to hold the valve open after it istripped, making manual resetting compulsory.

The object of the invention is to provide a valve for dry pipe sprinklerlines with means for exerting a seating pressure against the valve forpriming, releasing under prevailing pressure upon the opposite side ofthe valve, and said means also serving as a latch for holding the valveopen when tripped, preventing automatic resenting of the valve.

Another object is to provide means for normally exerting a positiveseating pressure on the valve mechanism independent 'of the airpressurewithin the system.

Other objects of the invention will he more fully set forth inthedescription of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 IS an elevation of the control devicesof the system showing the dry-pipe valve in section, its valve mechanismbeing in normal set position. Fig. 2 is a similar section of thedry-pipe valve showing the valve mechanism in partly open position, thelatch preventing a resenting thereof. Fig. 3 is a semi-diagrammati':view showing a portion of the valve and the automatic balldrip insection. I

The term .dry-pipe valve hereiir refers to the structure as a unit. thevalve proper being hereinafter referred to as the differ ential valvebecause of the differential valveareas normally exposed to the opposingpressures.

Referring to the drawings, the dry-pipe valve comprises a two-partcasing, the base member 1 having at its lower end an inlet opening 2communicating with the water supply pipe-3 and provided with an outletopening 4 conununicating with the distributing pipe of the sprinklersystem through the main stand pipe or riser, which is illustrated at Theupper casing member 6 serves as a closure for the base member 1 and whenremoved provides full accessibility to the valve parts for setting andcleaning. The inlet opening or passage 2 is provided with a valve seat 7of approximately the same diameter as the supply pipe 3, adapted forcooperation with a depending valve annulus 8 of a differential valveplate 9 and forming a main valve for closing the water supply pipe. Thevalve plate 9 has secured to its circumferential edge, by an annularring 10 and screws 11, a flexible annular ring 12 cooperating with anannular valve seat 12-3, concentric with the valve seat 7 but of largerdiameter, forming an auxiliary or secondary valve. 1

When the differential valve is in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1,and the valve chamber containing priming water to form. a Water seal,the system is filled with compressed air of sufiicient pressure'toretain jected to the water supply pressure, enables a relatively smalldegree of air pressure to withstand a much greater degree of watersupply pressure. The valve plate 9 is pivotcdon a rocker arm 14journaled on a pivotpin and provided with pro ections .16 extendingadjacent the upper surface of the valve plate-so that only a slightrocking movement thereof is permitted to en 15 system to such a degreeas to create a back able a perfect seating of the valves.

When the difierential valve is caused to open by a decrease in-thesystem air pressure be low a redeterniined minimum, the rapid inrush 0'water will, by its acqmredmomentum,

increase the pressure of the air Within the pressure and'cause areseating of the valve on its seat and unless means are provided forpreventing'this automatic reseatingiof the valve after it. is onceopencd a condition sult. This condition is due to'the recession of thecolumn. of Water in the system, caused by the reaction of the airpocketed 1n various inactive. sprinkler lines of the system,

such recession, by; reason of the differential v area of. the valve,causingthe valve to reseat.

To overcome thispossible condition, I provide a latch 17 which ispivotally mounted on the endof the rocker arm '14 and is urged against asto v pin 18, secured to the casing, by a lea spring 19, one end ofwhich issecured to said arm and the other end'of which engages the upperend of the latch.

T his latch has a hooked nose 20,which, When cover plate 6, therebyrendering it compulstop pin 18.

'sory to first drain the system.

In priming the system previous to the introduction of the compressedair, it is neces sary that the differential valve be firmly seated toprevent an escape of the priming water and as the weight of the valveplate 9 and rocker arm 14 is insufiicient to insure a tight valve joint,additional pressure must be applied. This is provided for by the spring19 and the particular formation of the abutting surfaces of the latch 17and As shown, the stop pin 18 has a beveled surface 22 and the, nose 20,of the latch 17, has acorrespondinglv beveled surface 23,. bothcooperating under the influence of the spring 19 to exerta-dowuward-pressure on the rocker arm 14 and valve plate 10, through thelatch 17. In this nstance, the pin acts as an abutment .mally flow. ffree communication with the atmosphere of course,

to prevent an independent swinging of the latch and any other form ofabutment, such as a ledge projecting from the casing would be aseliicient. Also, it would be as efiicient if only one of the abuttingsurfaces were beveled. In the present instance the 'beveled pin is shown.as a detachable element. This is a preferred form adapted forconvenience in machining and'assembling.

Intermediate the two valve seats 7 and 1 3 is 'a drip chamber 30, intowhich any accidental leakage past the valves will nor- This chambernormally is in threugh a drip conduit 31 leading to a drip cup' 32' as apart of the drain pipe line. The drip conduit is provided with a ballvalve 33 adapted to operate to close the conduit when the differentialvalve is opened. Means are provided for connecting to. the conduit at34:, a pressure operated alarm or electric circuit control for alarmpurposes, if desired. When the service valve 25 is closed and the systemdrained, the ball valve immediately opens to drain the water remainingin the valve chamber below the level of the outlet opening.

The valve mechanism is set or reset after first draining the system, avalve controlled drain pipe 24 communicating with the stand pipe 5,being provided for this purpose, it, being obvious that the water supplyhaspreviously been cut off by closing 7 the service. valve 25.

After the system is drained, the custodian may remove the hand-holecover and clean and reset the valve mechanism, subsequently replacingthe cover. Priming water is then supplied through the valve controlledpri iing line 26, the latch spring 19, through the cooperation of thebeveled surfaces of the latch nose 20 and stop pin 18, applyingsuflicient pressure to the differential valve to insure a tight valvejoint. Compressed air is then introduced through the valve controlledair line 27 and the system is then completely normalized for subsequentoperation. I

Having described my invention, I claim 1. dry pipe valve comprising acasing forming a valve chamber having inlet and outlet openings, thecasing being provided with a projecting abutment, a valve controllingthe inlet opening hcld closed or lifted by variations'in therelativepressure of either .s.de of saidvalve, and means carried by the valveand adapted to engage the abutment to exert a seating pressure on thevalve.

2. i dry pipe valve comprising u casing forming a valve chamber havinginlet and outlet openings, the casing being provided wilh a projectingabutment, a valve controlling the inlet opening held closed or lifted'byvariations in the relative pressure of either side of said valve,- meanscarried by the valve and adapted to engage the abut- 'iiient to exert apositive independent closing pressure on the valve, and means preventingan automatic reseating of the valve.

3. A dry pipe valve comprising a valve chamber having inlet and outletopenings, the casing being provided with a projecting abutment, a valvecontrolling the inlet opening held closed or lifted by variations intherelative pressure on either side of said valve, t latch carried by thevalve, and means forcing the latch into engagement with the abutment tonormally exert an independent closing pressure on the valve andsubsequently to shift the latch into intercepting alinement with theabutment to prevent an automatic reseating of the valve.

4.'A dry. pipe valve comprising a casing forming a valve chamber havinginlet and outlet openings, the casing being provided with aprojectingabutment, a rocker arm j'ournaled within the valve chamber, a valvecontrolling the inlet opening, carried by the rocker arm and held closedor lifted by vari ations in the relative pressure on either side of saidvalve, a latch pivoted on the free.

end of said arm, and means forcing the latch into engagement with theabutment to normally exert an independent closing pressure.

on the valve and subsequently to shift the latch into interceptingalinement with the abutment to prevent tin-automatic reseating of thevalve.

5. A dry pipevalve comprising a casing forming a valve chamber havinginlet and-- outlet openings, the casing beingvprovide'd with aprojecting abutment having a beveled surface, a valve controlling theinlet openin held closed or open by variations in the re ative pressureon either side ofsaid valve, a latch carried by the valve, means forcingthe latch into engagement with the beveled abutment surface ,to normallyexert an independent closing pressure on' the valve and subsequently toshift the latch into. inter- .cepting alinement with the abutment ipro-.jection to prevent an automatic reseating' of the valve.

'forming a valve chamber having inlet and outlet openings, the casingbeing provided 6. A dry pipe valve comprising ace sing with a projectingabutment having a beveled "surface, a rocker arm journaled within. the

valve chamber, a valve controlling the inlet opening, carried by therocker arm and held closed or lifted by variations in the relativeequipped inlet opening and an outlet port,

a hinged valve sw1nging to engage with the seat of said opening, and alatch member connected with said valve and adapted to befyeleasablconfined within saidbase portion of sai casing for imposing a seatingpressure on said valve. 1

8. A valve of the character described comprising a casing -having avalve-seat equippedopening, and an outlet port, a

valve hinged to close said opening, a mem- 'ber connectin with saidvalve, adapted to engage a rigi abutment'within the casing confininglyseating the valve and releasable under a determined pressure imposedupon the. opposite side of the valve, and'lockingly engaging with saidabutment to hold the va ve open-after tripping said valve.

9.111 a dry pi e valve, the combination of a valve caslng orming part ofthe conduit ofa fire extinguishing system, a valve therein, adapte'd tocontrol the passage of fluids therethrough, and means incorporated withsaid valve to hold it closed independent of fluid or air pressure,said'means adapted to opened. v I

10. A dry pipe valve comprising a casing forming a valve chamber, avalve therein controlling the passage of fluid through said chamber, andmechanical means normally exerting 'an' independent closing pressure onthe valve and automatically operatrve to prevent an automatic reseating,of the valve- In witness-whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, .asattested by the two subscribing witnesses. 1 CHARLES B. GARRETT.

Witnesses:

S. L. Nnsnrrr,

SAML NEsBrrT, J r.

95 prevent the valve closing after it has once I

